Chiefs, Pirates raring to go

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - MARCH 15: Willard Katsande of Chiefs and Ayanda Gcaba during the Absa Premiership match between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates at FNB Stadium on March 15, 2014 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images)

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - MARCH 15: Willard Katsande of Chiefs and Ayanda Gcaba during the Absa Premiership match between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates at FNB Stadium on March 15, 2014 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images)

Published Sep 19, 2014

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Durban – The first domestic trophy of the South African football season will be up for grabs when Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs come face-to-face in the MTN8 final at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Saturday.

It is a rare occasion that the Soweto derby is being played outside the borders of Gauteng and only the fourth time in the competition's 39-year history that the two great rivals are squaring-off in the title decider.

For the Buccaneers, they return to the scene where they lost last season's final, having gone down 3-1 on penalties to Platinum Stars – one of four finals they reached in the 2013/14 season.

However, the only title they ended up winning, the Nedbank Cup four months ago, was at the same venue and coach Vladamir Vermezovic was determined to add to that success this weekend.

“My players know how to get to finals,” the former Chiefs coach said.

“The last time we went to Durban in a final, we won that match and the players believe we can do it again, and that's the most important thing.

“We have the experience as you saw last season and we are going for the win.

“I said my players know how to get to finals and I will help them win finals. We are all in the same space. There is a winning mentality and they want to win everything.”

The Serb, who coached Amakhosi between 2009 and 2012, did warn, however, that his old team will be tough, but said he expected an open game on the east coast.

“It is a game of two teams in good form at the moment.

“We are scoring goals and they are scoring goals also. They've scored 19 goals and we've scored 18 goals. So I think the game will finish in 90 minutes, there won't be any extra time or penalties.

“It will be a nice match but we do not want to get excited. We know Chiefs, they know us, it's all about who wakes up best on Saturday.”

Vermezovic has also vowed to break tradition and celebrate against his former club, something former players and coaches prefer not to do in modern times.

Meanwhile, his counterpart, Stuart Baxter, believes the heat is on his side to win and banish memories of a trophyless past season when they surrendered both Premiership and Nedbank Cup crowns.

“Without wanting to bring any more pressure to bear on the players, I think it's probably true that psychologically it's more important for us to win this cup after finishing with nothing last season,” the Briton said.

“I think when you choose to play at a club like Chiefs you know the expectation – and that is to win something.”

Baxter's side, winners in nine out of nine league and cup games this term, will be without their most crucial player, goalkeeper and captain Itumeleng Khune, due to injury.

Striker Katlego Mphela is also sidelined.

The Bucs welcome back one of their most influential men in defender Thabo Matlaba.

Midfielder Thandani Ntshumayelo has also been declared fit. – Sapa

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